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Thursday, July 26, 2012

Hat Rack

Upon request from my friend JD I am telling the story of Hat Rack. When we moved here 15 years ago I noticed that the deer seemed to stay in place when I talked to them. So when I was outside and there were deer around I would talk to them personally about a variety of things, but foremost on how to evade hunters during hunting season. Over time they would stand closer and closer to me and were less afraid. I believe they instinctively knew that they had nothing to fear and were safe and comfortable around the house.

One of those deer was a young buck we ultimately named Hat Rack. I know it is wrong to name wild animals but his story is such he needed a name. After about 3 years with him coming coming back year after year he would stand 10-15 feet away and listen with rapt attention while I talked to him. I never thought deer understood what was said but I learned they either do or coincidence follows them around. I thought maybe it was the tone of voice but actual comprehension - not likely. It was in early winter and one of those years where snow had not accumulated as much as usual. The rut was well over and it was seasonable weather for everyone and about that time when deer would normally shed their antlers.

I was outside and Hat Rack was hanging around and I was probably telling him how handsome he was and after a while I told him that I really admired his antlers and if he would shed them where I could find them I would make a hat rack out of them in his honor. That way I would always remember him when I used the hat rack. Turns out that is usually twice a day as I use the hat rack for my ball caps. Within two minutes he was standing not 10 feet from me and with his head lowered he started to shake his head from side to side. One of his antlers fell off and I walked up and picked it up. Hat Rack then walked perhaps 20 feet and shook his head again and his other antler fell off. I collected both and thanked him for providing them. I then made the hat rack in the photo above.

Now some will call that coincidence but I don't attribute it to happen chance. When he shook loose his antler the first time he looked straight at me and took a couple steps back. He turned and looked at me when he shed his second antler as well as if to say, here you go, now don't forget me now.

I have another story about one of our deer whom we called Uno since he only had one spike for an antler for several years. That story is more incredible and will have to wait for another time. This story is all about Hat Rack and as long as I live he will be remembered with affection. When a wild animal gives you their trust it is a very special bond and while he is gone now he will never be forgotten.

7 comments:

Sakoieta
said...

I have numerous times in my life had these very same type of situations happen with animals. Our Elders tell us as Mohawk people that at one time we were so close to the natural world that we could talk and communicate with the animal life. I believe we still can as I do every day with all the birds, rabbits and animal life near and around my house. One story that I often tell is of one time in the spring when the snows had left and things were getting warm, I went to pull the straw bales off the septic field. As I pulled the bales of straw off on one especially there was a little mouse with her nest under the bale. She came at me madder than a wet hen and chattering as much as she could. She stopped just in front of me and sat up on her hind legs. So I put the bale down and sat down on the ground leaning foward so that I was about a foot from her face and we had a good discussion. We had had some mouse problems in our house, not a lot but occassionally. I apologized for disturbing her family and then told her I want to make a peace treaty with you. I pointed to my house and told her in that house is where I, my wife and babies live. I told her there have been times that her relatives have come into my house and scared my wife and family. I told her then that if she will tell all of her relatives to stay out of the house and not to come in there I will cover her and her babies back up and not bother them until they all leave the nest. During this time she sat there looking at me and twitching her nose and occasionally moving her head from side to side. When I was done she chattered at me and then went back to her nest and stayed there looking at me. So I picked up a chunk of the straw bale and very carefully placed it on top of her. Whether or not she understood me, I believe she did. Never had a mouse in the house again for the next seven years until we sold the place.

I have numerous times in my life had these very same type of situations happen with animals. Our Elders tell us as Mohawk people that at one time we were so close to the natural world that we could talk and communicate with the animal life. I believe we still can as I do every day with all the birds, rabbits and animal life near and around my house. One story that I often tell is of one time in the spring when the snows had left and things were getting warm, I went to pull the straw bales off the septic field. As I pulled the bales of straw off on one especially there was a little mouse with her nest under the bale. She came at me madder than a wet hen and chattering as much as she could. She stopped just in front of me and sat up on her hind legs. So I put the bale down and sat down on the ground leaning foward so that I was about a foot from her face and we had a good discussion. We had had some mouse problems in our house, not a lot but occassionally. I apologized for disturbing her family and then told her I want to make a peace treaty with you. I pointed to my house and told her in that house is where I, my wife and babies live. I told her there have been times that her relatives have come into my house and scared my wife and family. I told her then that if she will tell all of her relatives to stay out of the house and not to come in there I will cover her and her babies back up and not bother them until they all leave the nest. During this time she sat there looking at me and twitching her nose and occasionally moving her head from side to side. When I was done she chattered at me and then went back to her nest and stayed there looking at me. So I picked up a chunk of the straw bale and very carefully placed it on top of her. Whether or not she understood me, I believe she did. Never had a mouse in the house again for the next seven years until we sold the place.